I am thinking about using homeworkopoly for next year as a reward for completing homework, but I need some advice.

1. I have seen from my research that most teachers use it on Fridays. How do you choose who plays? One person from each stack of hw? Each person who has done their hw all week?

2. What rewards do you give? I have printed off some cards that already have ideas on them (ex sit in teachers chair, first to lunch etc), but would love more ideas.

3. How do the students play each week? Do their pieces stay on the game board where they were left the previous week? How do you keep students from moving their pieces during the week, or does everyone start out each week off of the board?

4. What do you use for game pieces?

Sorry for all the questions. I am very visual, and have a hard time picturing things I haven't seen in my head. Thanks for the advice!

How about a no homework pass.My 2nd grader gets one of these if he gets a 100 on a spelling test and if he has handed in his homework for some many weeks in a row. The children in his class that i know love this . Most of then use the coupon before a long weekend or if they has a after school activity to go to. I hope this helps you.

One of my team teachers uses this and the kids love it! She has her board on the bulletin board and students who had all homework completed on time may play on Friday. Each student has a pin with a little flag with their name on it. The pin stays in the game space until next week.

I use it in my 5th grade class and the kids love it. It's on my bulletin board, and the kids each have a laminated star with their number on it, push pinned to the board. The pieces stay there all of the time. I do it on Wednesdays, if they bring back their "Tuesday Folder" and any sign and return work that was sent home.

I use things like, Sit in the library all day (I have a small loveseat there and they use a clipboard to do their work), sit with a friend, homework pass, free ice cream at lunch...

When they pass go, they get a piece of candy from my candy jar.

I tried doing it more often, but I just didn't have time. Once a week works great for me, and the kids really look forward to playing every Wed.

I am thinking about using homeworkopoly for next year as a reward for completing homework, but I need some advice.

1. I have seen from my research that most teachers use it on Fridays. How do you choose who plays? One person from each stack of hw? Each person who has done their hw all week?

2. What rewards do you give? I have printed off some cards that already have ideas on them (ex sit in teachers chair, first to lunch etc), but would love more ideas.

3. How do the students play each week? Do their pieces stay on the game board where they were left the previous week? How do you keep students from moving their pieces during the week, or does everyone start out each week off of the board?

4. What do you use for game pieces?

Sorry for all the questions. I am very visual, and have a hard time picturing things I haven't seen in my head. Thanks for the advice!

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Here is how I run things.
1. I keep track of who had all work turned in on time for the week. Anyone without any late or missing work for the week gets to roll the die.

2. I use the pre-made cards. I pulled some out that would not be attractive to my students or didn't apply to my class (such as passing out AM snacks). I am about ready to let the kids brainstorm ideas for new prizes though. When they pass GO they get two pieces of candy. Mystery prize is just a prize from my prize box.

3. When students roll they move their piece like any game. All game pieces remain where they land until the next turn. If they land on Ride the Bus then they move to the opposite corner and do not pass GO.

4. I made game pieces by finding small clipart pics that were cute but appropriate for 5th grade. Each pic was glued to a small piece of index card with the child's name written on it and laminated. Then I put magnetic tape on the back side. My board is on the back chalkboard which is magnetic.

I used Homeworkopoly at the beginning of the year and did it on Fridays (when I remembered). All students who finished all of their homework for the week got to play. I actually stopped using it because I didn't have too many problems with kids not turning in homework and it took a long time for all of my kids to "play". I think I would use it again if I had a number of students who were consistently turning in work late.

I have a list of prizes that I made but they must be on my computer at school. I'll post again when I find them!

I have used Homeworkopoly for four-five years. It does work well and is fun to use! Does it cure the late work issues? I would have to say no, it doesn't. It has little lasting effect on those students who are chronically late. What it does do is help the middle-ground kids to be more accountable, and best of all, it rewards those kids who, no matter what, always do what is expected of them. All this time, I have tried to do it everyday. With the help of an aide, it is doable that way, but really, it is way too time consuming. This year, I have decided to cut back to once a week.

Each time the students earn a reward, they fill out a const. paper square, listing the reward and their name on it. They lay the card on my desk to be initialed and dated. All no namers are thrown away. As part of my welcome packet, each student gets a smilie pencil case (Oriental) to keep their Homeworkopoly cards in. The students are responsible for taking care of their cards. When they decide to use their reward, they hand me the card.

This is probably way more information than you wanted-sorry! Am hoping, though, that it may be helpful.

My Rewards:

Chance and Community Lunchbox Cards: Invite three friends to lunch with the teacher, eat in the classroom, have teacher call parents and tell what a great student you are, game time for you and 3 friends (computer or board), chew sugarless gum for the day, bring own snack, bring healthy drink, free book from the book order, free candy bar, read aloud to another class, share something with the class, be a game leader, choose a class job for the day, be first in line, extra couch potato day, sit by a friend, Popcorn Party for the class, Extra recess-can also be used when class loses recess, extra study time for the class, move your desk anywhere in the classroom, make a bulletin board, use the pencil sharpner whenever you want, go get a drink of water whenever you want, shoot hoops with a classroom helper, get an extra day on an assignment, no journal entry, test signing bonus, no name pass, invite a guest to dinner in the classroom (principal, parent, superintendent, another teacher, etc.), Advance to Go...all I can remember. The kids, when asked, come up with great ones, too. OH, just remembered one of their favorites! Trade chairs with the teacher-I always make a big deal out of this, pretending that I just hate giving up my soft chair for the day! Truth is, I hardly sit down all day, anyway!!
*On rewards that involve a student earning a prize for the whole class, we all clap and cheer for that student to show appreciation.

Brain Binders: I run off 15 different, progessively harder ones and keep in a file. They get a life saver when they've solved it.

Mystery Prize: Draw out of the prize box.

Free Homework: I have cards made up for this reward, but it is really only good for a half an assignment, odds or evens. As each lesson builds on another, I am just not comfortable letting them skip an assignment, entirely.

Take a Seat on the Bus: Students go to On the Bus. They pass Go, and they get a card to sit by a friend for a day.

Library: Extra Couch Potato day. I have a couch in my room and on the day when they are Couch Potatoes, they get to sit there for work time and if we watch a movie.

Go: I use a smiley theme in my room, so I purchase items from Oriental for my rewards for passing GO. I keep a chart of how many times they each pass GO-but don't display it. Each time they pass GO, the prize gets a little bit better. 1st time is a smiley tatoo, 2nd is a smiley eraser, 3rd is a smiley pencil, etc. So far, the kids have thought it was cool. Guess, they feel a sense of accomplishment-and competition!- as they get to each succeeding level of prizes.

Other: I also randomly give extra rolls for things like exceptional behavior, a compliment from another staff member, returning papers signed in a timely manner, etc.

Yes, they go around all year. I have never done anything on the streets, but the kids would love it, I am sure. I just have not been creative enough to think what it would be. But then, again, maybe that would take away from some of the excitement of when they do land on a special square???

i am planning to use this game next year for the first time. I plan to mount mine to a magnetic surface (side of a file cabinet) and use those printable magnetic business cards as pieces.
Another idea i have is to mount the board onto a heavy cardboard and hot glue plastic bottle caps to the back so the board will stick up off the surface of a bulletin board and use clothes pins as game pieces.

I used this as positive reinforcement for good behavior instead of for homework and it worked awesome!! They couldn't wait to play "Eichhornopoly"(my last name added to opoly) on Friday's! I have it stapled to a bulletin board and used velcro on the board and I love turtles so everyone has a different colored turtle with their names on them! It is such an easy way to reward good behavior!

Jame- Thanks for the different ideas for the spots on the board! I will use those this year!

I used this as positive reinforcement for good behavior instead of for homework and it worked awesome!! They couldn't wait to play "Eichhornopoly"(my last name added to opoly) on Friday's! I have it stapled to a bulletin board and used velcro on the board and I love turtles so everyone has a different colored turtle with their names on them! It is such an easy way to reward good behavior!

Jame- Thanks for the different ideas for the spots on the board! I will use those this year!

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U R welcome...really glad if it could help. (I always get so long winded, though! ) I really like your take on it, turtlegirl! Cute idea with both the name and the markers!! You do it just on Fridays...the more I hear how everyone does it, the more I am thinking that that is what I should do this year, too.

i am planning to use this game next year for the first time. I plan to mount mine to a magnetic surface (side of a file cabinet) and use those printable magnetic business cards as pieces.
Another idea i have is to mount the board onto a heavy cardboard and hot glue plastic bottle caps to the back so the board will stick up off the surface of a bulletin board and use clothes pins as game pieces.

1. I have seen from my research that most teachers use it on Fridays. How do you choose who plays? One person from each stack of hw? Each person who has done their hw all week?

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Students that have had their agenda signed and homework completed for the entire week get to play Homeworkopoly on Friday.

loves2teach said:

2. What rewards do you give?

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I use some of the cards that you can print out for Homeworkopoly and then I hand wrote a lot more on the blank cards.

loves2teach said:

3. How do the students play each week? Do their pieces stay on the game board where they were left the previous week? How do you keep students from moving their pieces during the week, or does everyone start out each week off of the board?

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My students pick up the game from where they left off the week before. I have never had a problem with students moving their pieces during the week. In fact, that thought never even occurred to me.

loves2teach said:

4. What do you use for game pieces?

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I use clipart that I shrink to a fairly small size and then students choose which picture to color. They cut it out, write their name on it and then I laminate them.

I used this as positive reinforcement for good behavior instead of for homework and it worked awesome!! They couldn't wait to play "Eichhornopoly"(my last name added to opoly) on Friday's! I have it stapled to a bulletin board and used velcro on the board and I love turtles so everyone has a different colored turtle with their names on them! It is such an easy way to reward good behavior!

Jame- Thanks for the different ideas for the spots on the board! I will use those this year!

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Hmmm, I really like this idea. Do you use it daily? Or weekly? What are you rules for it?

The kids will get a ticket when they pass go, which will go into a bucket for a treasure box drawing. I also have "pencil box", where the kids will get a pencil, and "snack" where the kids will get a package of fruit snacks or something like that.

I am laminating mine onto a piece of poster board, and I am going to put caps on the back of it to raise it off of my dry erase board. Then the kids will use clothes pins as pieces.

I will let the kids play each Monday or Friday (haven't decided yet). Will also play during the week in the afternoon if someone has had great behavior.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! All I have left to do is finish the cards, and work on my list of directions to post with it.